


1.02: Dance Lessons

by JustLikeTheSong



Series: NYC Spin-Off 'Verse [3]
Category: Glee
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-20
Updated: 2013-01-20
Packaged: 2017-11-26 04:01:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/646340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustLikeTheSong/pseuds/JustLikeTheSong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rachel and Blaine continue to deal with their critical dance teacher, and seek some dance tutoring from Mike.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1.02: Dance Lessons

It wasn't that [Blaine](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lru5r9IzVs1qk3opao1_500.jpg) didn’t understand how frustrating Cassandra July’s dance class was.  He did.  Ms. July went easy on exactly zero of her students, and she had made a point to criticize his turn out almost every class.  And it wasn't that he hadn’t noticed that she was extra hard on Rachel, openly mocking her and invading her space to intimidate her. 

It was just that, as he watched [Rachel](http://beingrachelberry.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/gle_402-sc24_00231.jpg) take her place in the center of the classroom with Brody, clad in a tiny black skirt with bright red lipstick on her mouth, he just didn’t think this was the right way to deal with a difficult professor.

Rachel never did things by half-measure, but he hadn't expected some dance tutoring would lead to this.

***

It was after Cassandra humiliated Rachel in front of their whole class, telling her she would never succeed in the business because she can’t be sexy and isn’t at home in her own body, that Kurt told her “if she wants sexy, give her sexy!”

Rachel was still puzzling about how to accomplish just this when Blaine came home from his coffee date with Mike and had an idea.

That was how they found themselves in one of Julliard’s dance classrooms, with [Kurt](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lskl7og4l61qfcdl6o1_500.gif) along for moral support.  When they entered the room, [Rachel ](http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/8025/1x06treadmill.gif)squealed, because in addition to [Mike](http://s3.amazonaws.com/curvio/app/public/system/screenshots/3434/thumb/MikeChang%27sTank.png?1337217262) and his classmate [Kevser](http://hollywoodjunket.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/THE-GLEE-PROJECT-Episode-207-Aylin-Bayramoglu.jpg), [Tina](http://www.youknowyoulovefashion.com/storage/glee/03x03/Glee1.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1317947495037) was waiting for them.  As they rushed forward to hug her and Mike introduced Kevser to Kurt and Rachel, Tina explained that her parents let her take the train to New York to surprise Mike for the weekend.

“Mike told me your teacher thinks your sexy vibe needs work,” she told them after they had all warmed up and stretched, “and this week in glee club, we did Britney week again, so I had an idea.”

They paired up, Mike with Kevser, [Blaine](http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mdzhkcUnta1qa72vm.gif) with Rachel, and Kurt waiting for Tina, as she walked over to the stereo, put in a CD, and pressed play.

The first notes of ‘[My Prerogative](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iPfrVPsFMQ)’ filled the air and Tina rushed to join Kurt.

“Improvise!” Mike called out, and he grabbed Kevser, swinging her into a deep dip as she wrapped an arm around his neck and started to sing: “ _They say I’m crazy, I really don’t care…_ ”

“ _That’s my prerogative_ ,” Tina and Mike growled out in harmony.

Kevser and Mike moved with ease, easily showing up everyone else.  Blaine looked at Tina and Kurt who were doing pretty well, even if Kurt hadn’t fully loosened up yet.  But they were nothing compared to the awkwardness that was Rachel and himself.  He felt bad, because he'd performed with Rachel several times in the past, and she had never been this uncomfortable.  He knew Cassandra’s relentless insults and the fact that no one besides himself wanted to partner with her in class had made her insecure, and it really showed now.  She was too caught up in where to place her hands, and she tried a hair flip but smacked him in the face with her long hair in the process.

“ _…I don’t need permission, make my own decisions…_ ” Kevser, Mike, and Tina’s voices blended well together before Kevser yelled out an order to switch partners.

Blaine slid over to Kurt, grinning slyly as he wrapped an arm around his waist and their hips pressed together, grinding in time with the music.  Now Kurt started to really relax, his face flushed and sweaty as his nails raked over Blaine’s upper arm, pushing away from him and then drawing back close, arching his back and looking at him with lidded eyes.

Mike and Tina were similarly caught up in their own little world as he lifted her into the air and then let her slide down the length of his body slowly.

“ _…all these strange relationships really get me down, but I see nothing wrong with spreading myself around!_ ” Kevser sang, dropping into the splits and then grimacing when Rachel tripped over her leg.

Rachel blushed as they switch partners again during the instrumental break.  Kevser wrapped her arms around Kurt from behind, Blaine and Mike rolled their hips in unison and fell to their knees in front of each other, reaching out to grasp each other’s arms and pull each other closer, sliding along the floor.

Tina took a pouting Rachel’s hands and led her to to the center of the room as she sang the bridge with an encouraging smile.  She placec her hands on Rachel’s hips and guided them in a slow, sensual figure-eight.

“ _Why can’t I live my life without all of the things people say? Oh…_ ”

Blaine grabbed Kurt’s hand as the rest of them join Rachel and Tina, pressing close and grinding their hips, moving en masse as Kevser, Tina, and Mike finished the song.

“ _It’s my prerogative!_ ”

They all struck a pose and then dissolved into laughter and cheers, high-fiving and hugging.

“You guys, that was amazing!” Rachel clasped her hands together and bounced on her toes.  “That’s the answer!  I’ll show Cassandra just how sexy I can be with an amazing Britney Spears dance number in class this week, and Blaine can be my partner!”

Everyone looked at her a little strange.

“Rachel,” Tina said, “that was just supposed to help loosen you up.”

“Yeah, I mean, NYADA is a musical theatre school, so…wouldn’t a musical theatre number work better?”  Mike added kindly, wrapping his arm around Tina’s shoulders.

“I’ve heard of Cassie July,” Kevser said thoughtfully, “and I don’t think interrupting her class for a special performance would go over that well.”

“I have to agree,” Blaine said, giving Rachel an apologetic glance, “I think the best way to prove her wrong is to just keep practicing and show how much you’ve improved, how much confidence you’ve gained over time.”

Rachel pressed her lips together and nodded minutely, but the gleam that stayed in her eye for the rest of their practice told Blaine she hasn’t let go of the idea.  As Kurt sing songed to him that night as they snuggled under their covers, “Once Rachel Berry gets an idea into her head, nothing will persuade her from it.”

***

She didn’t let go of it, and the following day, [she](http://wornontv.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/rachels-brown-gold-skirt-beanie.jpg) and [Blaine](http://sothinky.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/screen-shot-2012-11-19-at-10-10-57-am.png) argued about it as they walked from the train to their loft after school.

“…I just don’t think it’s a good idea, Rachel.  Cassandra attacked an audience member at her own show for distracting her; you really think disrupting class to prove her wrong is going to go over well?”

Rachel’s eyes narrowed, her cheeks high with color.  “I just want her to take me seriously and stop picking on me!  But I know what this is about, Blaine.  You don’t _want_  to help me, because you think I’ll embarrass you!  You think you’re a better dancer than me; admit it!”

 _I_ am _a better dancer than you_ , he had to stop himself from saying, because that wouldn't help matters.

At his silence, Rachel only seemed to get angrier.  “Well,  _Brody_  thinks I’m sexy, and _Brody_  thinks ‘Oops! I Did It Again’ is a great song choice, so I guess I’ll just get  _him_ to help me perform it!” She said, and she flounced inside their apartment building without another word.  Santana was staying late at NYU to study, and Kurt would’t be home from shopping for another hour or so, so Blaine decided to call Mike up to meet for a bite to eat, because he didn't want to be around Rachel during one of her moods.

And he knew this plan of hers wouldn't go over well.

***

[It didn't go over well](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrKGqfQ5hNA), and after a performance that was more posing and pouting than actual dancing got her another snarling tirade courtesy of Ms. July and an order to leave the class, Blaine found Rachel crying in the nearest ladies’ washroom.  He sighed and sat down on the floor next to her, giving her a hug.

“It was horrible, wasn’t it?” she sniffled.

“No, it wasn’t horrible.  It just wasn’t very you.  Doing a number in the first place was like you, though, but while I admire your daring, sometimes you have to learn how to pick your battles, Rachel.  For someone like Cassandra, the best revenge is living well.  Or at least, doing well in her class.”

Rachel wiped at her tears.  “I’m just so tired of her making me feel bad about myself.”

“For whatever reason, she’s made it her mission to make us all feel down about ourselves.  You think I don’t hate whenever she points out my weak turn out?  It sucks, I know it does.  But she is a teacher, and she’s definitely not Mr. Schue.  You know what you’re going to have to do, right?”

Rachel’s mouth pulled into a grimace.  “Do you think a batch of ‘I’m Sorry’ cookies will help?”

Blaine wrapped an arm around her shoulders.  “I don’t think she deserves them.”

***

The following night, [Blaine](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mainvrK2Wf1qeds6ko1_500.jpg) discovered that Rachel did make a plate of ‘I’m Sorry’ cookies.  He found them on their kitchen counter, with a note with gold star stickers that said  _For Blaine, I’ll try harder to listen to and respect your opinion!_

He didn’t get a chance to try one, though, because [Kurt](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9lbtzJbxC1qlqqbno1_1280.jpg) walked in, greeting him with a kiss on the cheek.

“Are Santana and Rachel both out?” He asked, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet.

“Yeah, just you and me for the evening,” Blaine said with a grin, one that widened as Kurt started pushing him backwards, steering him towards the kitchen table.

“Good.  Because when the glee club did Britney in our junior year, I never got a chance to do a solo.  So I think it’s high time I did my own Britney number, don’t you?”

“Absolutely”, Blaine managed when Kurt pushed him down onto a chair from the table and gave him a sultry look.  He walked over to the stereo on the counter, hips swaying, and put his iPod on the dock.  The [music](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAaxWaV1_1s) started and he made his way back to Blaine, leaning down to murmur in his ear:

“Santana taught me a couple new moves the other day.  So hold onto your bow tie, Mr. Anderson.”

**Author's Note:**

> Songs:
> 
> My Prerogative (Britney Spears) by Kevser, Mike, and Tina
> 
> Oops!...I Did It Again (Britney Spears) by Rachel
> 
> Boys (Britney Spears) by Kurt


End file.
